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Behind the Shield
"Behind the Shield" is the 14th episode of the second season of Exosquad. Summary Sullust, the Neo Mega advisor to Draconis, sets a trap on Venus for the Exofleet using the old GRAF station and a new one constructed by Enleal. Only aware of the one installation, Able Squad is sent to destroy the old station so that the approaching Exofleet invasion force can launch its assault as planned. By the time they realize that the old station is a decoy, the new one as been activated. Unfortunately for the Neos it is useless against cloaked ships, and the ExoFleet is able to land its Jumptroops. Synopsis :Click HERE of a detailed synopsis of " " Characters *J.T. Marsh Quotes *Admiral Winfield, after Professor Algernon can't explain why Simbacca thought of a way to overcome the GRAF Shield, when he, its inventor, could not: ::"I suppose even a genius can't think of everything." *Inside the GRAF shield control room, after it has failed: ::Draconis: "The GRAF shield has failed. ExoFleet jumptroops and e-frames have landed!" Sullust: "I am aware of that. I suggest you -- " (is grabbed by Draconis) Draconis: "I have had enough of your suggestions. I am in command on Venus. (throws Sullust) Get these Neo megas out of my sight. Permanently." Enleal: "No, Draconis. You need us." Sullust: "Phaeton will not allow this." Draconis: "Phaeton will be told of your heroic last moments battling the Terran invaders. Now get them out of here!" Significant events, revelations, and other notes *When watching this episode it would definitely help to be familiar with the four Veil of Doom episodes that occurred halfway through the first season. *The ExoFleet now knows how to overcome the GRAF Shield, making any attempts by the Neos to defend Earth in that way useless. **How did Simbacca know that the Cloaking Device could overcome the shield? How skilled are the Pirate Clans as a whole regarding the scientific disciplines of engineering, science, and technology? *The ExoFleet lands Jumptroops on Venus, thus beginning their attempt to retake the planet. **The fact that Draconis orders an immediate withdrawal to Vesta means that Venus was weakly defended to begin with. **In "Venus Rising", Draconis's military reserve force (similiar to the National Guard) consists of shuttle pilots, military police, and mechanics. *If the rivalry between the Neosapiens and the Neo Megas seen on Venus is common, it will undermine morale and the chain of command. The levels of trust between Phaeton, his officers, and the Neo Megas will be damaged and the result could be severe in-fighting. **This rivalry was openly shown in "The Dogs of War". **In "Dragon's Rock" Draconis is seen organizing a personal military unit for the objective of overthrowing Phaeton. Many of the officers he recruits into this unit also share the fear of being replaced by Neo Megas. **In "The Greatest Fear" Draconis's hostility towards the Neo Megas was not hidden, he openly threatened them with death. **In the episodes "Martian Luck" to "Heart of Mars" this rivalry is avoided. Exial does not always agree with Typhonus, but limits his actions to advice and moderate verbal objections. **Using Marcus's mutiny and the Exofleet/Pirate Clans relations as a comparision, this could lead to a wide scale mutiny among the Neosapien military. **This is similiar in real-life to many governments based on authoritarianism and totalitarianism. The secret police and/or political commissars were viewed as symbols of the government's distrust towards the public. *Sulla, who is captured in "The Dogs of War", is mentioned by Algernon in "Behind the Shield". *Admiral Winfield seems to be on edge for most of the episode (he normally has faith in his subordinates, but is jumping on them when they don't react as he expects here). His insistance that they proceed with the landings regardless may indicate something of which we are not aware. They have not yet engaged the Neos' Venus Fleet, which is perhaps away so that the GRAF shield could be tested. It may be an opportunity which he knows is a trap, but he cannot ignore. **Winfield's primary reason is that he does not want to engage in a technology war against the Neo Megas. **In "One Small Step" he engages in another risky battle for the moon. Again, he is concerned with defeat, but the circumstances require that he risk defeat since he must force the Neosapiens onto the defensive. *Enleal's reference to Xenobius as an Alpha Neosapien may indicate a stratification of Neo sapien society on a parallel with the genetically engineered culture in Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World. In that classic novel an individual's status as a member of the intellectual or menial class (or any of the ones in between) was determined by the genetic code from which he or she was created. If the comparison is valid it may also explain why the Neosapien belief in genetic superiority is a common one. **Algernon calls Xenobius an Alpha Neosapien in "Scorched Venus". He says the alphas were "designed for intelligence". **The failure of the Alphas to be creative is probably what led to the creation of the Neo Megas. *How did Enleal discover that Algernon invented the GRAF Shield? **Was is based on the arrogance and perception that the Neo Megas are more intelligent and therefore the Neosapiens "must" be inferior? **Did Enleal compare Algernon's and Xenobius's histories? Since Algernon offered the GRAF Shield before the war ("Sabotage"), perhaps Enleal researched records that Phaeton and the others ignored. In "Scorched Venus" and "Sabotage" Phaeton and the other generals see terrans as very lowly. Perhaps they assumed that while Algernon did have useful ideas, it required a Neosapien to make the idea a reality. *How was the larger GRAF Shield constructed without Draconis's knowledge? Did the modifications consist of merely installing the generators in the building and linking them to the existing superstructure? *Xenobius was likely executed for his failure in "Sabotage". Draconis states that he "received the proper reward for his failure". 27 14